Dear India, Here’s Why The More You Play, The Better You Work!

This article has been published in partnership with PUMA

With the results of various Board exams taking center stage and hundreds of inspirational success stories grabbing the limelight, students across India are motivated to push their limits. The stories of different toppers are inspiring, drawing attention to the importance our country gives to academics.

While exams are taken in order for us to grow professionally and become well rounded human beings, the same can be said for sports as well.

It is said that playing and being active is as important as any other exam in life to maintain one’s health, and the country should place enough emphasis on sports as well.

Recently, Virat Kohli, and global sports brand PUMA commissioned a pan-India study on physical activity and sports adoption in India.

The results were alarming. Over one-third of the respondents hadn’t engaged in any physical activity even once in a year. And 57% hadn’t played any sports even once in the last one year.

58% of the same respondents claimed ‘lack of time’ as the reason for not doing it. But another unique finding from the same report included that the same people spent four to five hours on social media, watching TV, personal phone conversations and on messaging platforms on an average working day!

When you say the word ‘play,’ one tends to generally associate it with either outdoor activities that children play or what professional athletes do for a living.

But ‘playing’ does not depend on your age or gender. In fact, play among adults is proven to be a source of relaxation. It is your chance to be carefree and fuels your imagination while enhancing your problem-solving skills. One round of kabaddi or lagori or the classic dog and the bone helps you creatively find solutions to a task at hand.

Here are a few reasons why playing should be just as important as preparing for an exam.

1) A natural source of endorphins:

As per international studies, ‘playing’ also releases endorphins, which may be simply defined as the body’s ‘happy’ chemicals. So every time you see a child run carefree around the open field or play a round of gully cricket, you know exactly where the glint in their eyes comes from. Endorphins are also scientifically known to help the human body feel a sense of ‘well-being’ and sometimes temporarily relieve pain.

2) Work Hard, Play Hard

Today a large number of workspaces have acknowledged the importance of helping their young population maintain a work-play balance. It is no longer a surprise that an indoor table tennis or foosball game is set up in the common space or even yoga and Zumba workshops are held.

Other research substantiates that without play, it is hard for individuals to give their best at work or at home. Playing not only enhances productivity, but also increases higher job satisfaction, and boosts work motivation.

Read more: NCERT to Reduce ‘Cramped’ Syllabus By Half, to Focus on Life Skills, Sports & Values!

3) Playing improves interpersonal relationships

Playing breaks the ice.and has a major role in boosting interpersonal relationships. It is easier to strike a conversation or find common ground through sports than waiting until someone approaches you!

There’s nothing new being said when we say that playing and physical activity are important for one’s overall health. Of course, exams, work, deadlines, and submissions are all equally important, but all of it can be improved if we take care of ourselves. And what better way to do that than to just play!

So what are you waiting for? #ComeOutAndPlay India. It’s never too late to start!

(Edited By Vinayak Hegde)

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